Happy Monday!

We’re so proud of you…

Here’s a quick video from our little day in Burbank, Ca

A long overdue lunch date… she’s sharing her very, very funny story with a foot chase in Chinatown (sorry, it’s an inside story)

[play more]

Happy Easter to you!

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I hope you are having a relaxing break with family and friends.

Just a quick blog post… 3 great ways to stay focused and a video (in my den):

- Form a supportive group. This includes our family, friends, personal trainers (me:), coworkers and your doctor.

-Track your progress. Keep a daily log of your eating and training.

-Reward yourself often. Give yourself an outfit or a have a cheat meal once a week.

Don’t rush through the moves. This is just a sample shape up mini-workout.

Do 2 sets of 10 reps (use a challenging weight) in a circuit style fashion. Do 5-7 exercises and rest for 30-60 seconds then
repeat again. Move slowly; 3 seconds to lift. 1-second pause, 3 seconds to lower.
Do two or three sessions a week, with least 1 day of rest between workouts.

-Rhomboids/shoulders Stretching with arm across chest

-Quad/front of leg stretch (flamingo style)

-Hamstrings/Stretch Back of the Leg

-Low Windmill, twist towards the opposite foot with knees straight. Looking up towards the celing. Keep the tummy tight.

-Reverse “Y” lunges

-Gate swings. Open and close. You can cross the legs if you wish..

-Seal Jack (similar to jumping jacks)

-Star Jumps (get some air, slight bend in your knees)

-Reverse Walking lunge with a Twist. (hold a dumbbell for more challenge)

-Inch Worm with a Dive Walk (across gym floor)

-3 Move Hips and Thigh stretch (walking across gym floor)

-Walking Stationary Jockey Squats.

-Walking Plank with Push Ups

-Balanced One-legged Shoulder Raises

-DB curl with a shoulder press

-Tricep DB kickbacks

-DB Clockwork Lunges

-DB Push Up Rows

Sumo Squats with Lateral Shoulder Raises

DB Chest Flyes with Slow Double Leg Kick

Again, Happy Easter.

Live fully alive,

Adriel

Today I wanted to share a quick story I found circulating…

The Mayonnaise Jar

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle,
When 24 hours in a day is not enough;
remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class
and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly,
he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar
and start to fill it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured
it into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked the students again
if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand
and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else
He asked once more if the jar was full… The students responded
With an unanimous ‘yes.’

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table
and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively
filling the empty space between the sand.
The students laughed.

‘Now,’ said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things – God, family,
children, health, friends, and favourite passions
Things that if everything else was lost
and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the things that matter like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else –
The small stuff.

‘If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued,
‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff,
You will never have room for the things that are
important to you.

So…

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
Play with your children.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner.

There will always be time
to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.

‘Take care of the golf balls first –
The things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.’

One of the students raised her hand
and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled.

‘I’m glad you asked’.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem,
there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.’

I don’t know where this little story originated but it always raises a smile.

Please share this with other “golf balls” in your life.

I just did…

With care and love,

Adriel

I hope you are having an awesome weekend.

Have you lost a loved one through a disease?

The first thing you do when you go to new doctor for a
physical is filling out your family health history. Your
family history can tell your doctor about potential health risks.

I was devastated when I found out my mom had cancer. I was
fortunate that they found it early enough to treat. She is
doing well now. She’s been five years cancer free.

We all have a piece of our past. I have my mom’s
beautiful smile. I have my Dad’s 6 plus feet height.
It feels great to have these traits.

You can also carry on many of your parent’s ailments.
Do you know if you carry any any potential genetic health risks?

Do a bit of detective work and you’ll find yourself
asking some questions that may raise some health concerns.

If you’re close member is deceased, look for copies of
old medical records or some old personal letters and
look for things that talk about their lifestyle.

If you don’t have records, look at old picture and if
possible, videos. If a picture can tell a thousand words,
a video can tell a million words. Start with easy stuff like height
and weights. How is their posture? Even things, like if a family
member develops things like dowagers hump.

Look back for things that bring up red flags. Do you notice any injuries?
Look for any visual cues that may tell you a story.
Also, if a loved one, say,developed medical ailments like cancer in
their early thirties. This should be taken more seriously than if they
developed the cancer in their late seventies.

Draw up a simple genology tree and look for patterns.
You can’t change genetics but you have great control over
lifestyle habits.

Do what you can to minimize those health risks. You have
the power. If you want things in your life to change, you have
to change things in your life. Look back, ask plenty of questions
and you can learn a lot from your family’s lifestyle habits.